Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-13
VERY WISE FisH-HAwKs.
How They Fed a wounded COmuan-
iOR and Finally Carried
Him Away.

A party of summer visitors at Elbe-
ron, n. j., were one day very much
surprised at the sagaciiy of flock of
fsh-hawks, says the Agricuihurist.
One of these birds, being mistaken for
a barn-yard robber, WIS shot Mt while
perching on the top branch of tree.
The ball struck the bird on his wing,
and he dropped, futtering and screech-
ing, from bough to bough, until he
contriyed TO clutch at a strong forked
branch, and rested there.
All day long he sat uttering piercing
screams, and the next morning was
found to have gathered round him a
large circle of hawks, probably his
friends and relatives, who seemed to be
holding a council.
Each in turn the birds chartered
busily, as if giving advice or proposing
plans Of relief, while their wounded
brother seemed TO listen eagerly, and
now and then put in word. The APP
proach Of human beings produced the
greatest CONSERVATION among the birds,
but they did not fly away and desert
the disabled one.
The sportsman came again into the
orchard with the intention of putting
m end to the poor creatures misery
with another ball, but he was easily
persuaded to wait and see what the
birds would do. An immediate result
Of the meeting was the feeding of the
prisoner, several members of the res
cuing party flying to the ocean and re-
turning with fish in their claws.
1t was easily seen, however, that the
nearness of the tree to the house and
the lowness Of the branch on which the
wounded bird was crouched caused the
greatest anxiety, and even after the in
valid's hunger was satisfied the other
birds kept flying away, singly and in
parties, while others still perched on the
treea, and seemed TO be awaiting the
Messengers return.
II was so evident that some plan had
been made that number OF ladies
brought their needlework into the or
chard and stayed, waiting to see what
Was going to he done.
The hawks were very quiet AL day,
except that the sufferer uttered an oc-
casional sound as it moved unel5ily in
its leafy bed, while the watchers re-
piled in low, soothing tones, as ii with
words of pity or encouragement. To-
ward sunset single hawk appeared on
the scene, then another, and another;
q great chattering began, aud the ex-
citemcnt increased as the messengers
kept returning in twos and threes. Thu
wounded bird raised itself As much as
possible from the branch, aud seemed
joyfully expectant, while the Others
flew around it gaily.
After minute a loud tapping over
head was heard, a flock of hawks ap-
peared, and in their midst a giant
| hawk-a bird much larger and stronger
than any of the rest For y few mo-
ments it perched upon the topmosi
branch Of The tfsc, then started up an
began circlng about, coming lower
and nearer to its wounded brother,
until, suddenly swooping, it grasped
the latter in Its claws, and, raising hin
gently from the bough, scared away
with him triumphantly.
The other hawks followed, leayin-
the spectators overwhelmed with as
constituent They did not doubt thai
the hawk was being calricdto some safe
retired spot, where be could be fed ant
waited on until his wound healed.